Pothole relief on way from state to fill worst craters

Thursday

Apr 10, 2014 at 12:49 AMApr 10, 2014 at 3:56 AM

State provides one-time funding to make repairs after brutal winter

After a particularly brutal winter, relief is on the way for the region’s battered roads after Gov. Deval Patrick announced Wednesday that he is making $40 million available to repair state and local roadways.The money is part of a one-time program that will provide $10 million to repair interstate highways and state roads and $30 million to municipalities.

“We experienced an extraordinary winter season that caused damage to our roads, bridges and vehicles well beyond the typical year,” MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard Davey said in a statement. “This one-time, targeted program will speed repair and recovery and maintain safe travel for motorists.”

The $30 million will be distributed to cities and towns using the same formula used to distribute Chapter 90 funds, which are typically used for road repairs, to municipalities.

“It’s certainly timely for us right now because we’re working non-stop on potholes and we’re spending a significant amount of money repairing them,” said Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter.

Earlier this month, Carpenter created a pothole hotline to allow residents to report the nuisances so they could be fixed.

To date, Carpenter said the hotline has received 150 reports and all of the potholes have been repaired, but at a cost.

“We’re probably spending in the neighborhood of $1 million fixing potholes,” Carpenter said.

In Whitman, Town Administrator Frank Lynam said workers have spent an “enormous amount of time” patching potholes after a frigid winter.

“These freeze-frost cycles have done a number on many of these roads,” Lynam said. “The old roads are suffering, particularly.”

However, Lynam said the state money likely will not be enough to keep up with the damage the weather caused.

“Whatever amount of money, it will be appreciated but it won’t be nearly enough,” Lynam said.

Raynham Selectman Joseph Pacheco echoed Lynam’s concerns about the amount of money being made available, but said that the funds will help.

“It’s progress, but I’ve always believed that Chapter 90 is a really critical part of the budget and something that I’ve advocated for an increase for,” Pacheco said.

The town could particularly use the additional funds after it was battered by this winter’s weather.

“This is probably the toughest winter I’ve seen on rounds since I’ve been a selectman,” said Pacheco. “We have our work cut out for us coming into the spring and summer months.”

The program will provide communities with the financial resources to begin repairs earlier in the spring rather than having to wait until later in the construction season.

In each of the past three years, road repair funds have been tied up on Beacon Hill into the mid-summer.

Funding for the program is coming from “anticipated surpluses created by the delay in the passage of the Transportation Bond Bill,” according to a program summary.

House and Senate negotiators are working to settle differences in multi-year transportation bond bills that call for $300 million in spending on the Chapter 90 program in fiscal 2015 and include funds needed to break a logjam of state projects on hold while legislative talks continue.

Patrick has notified communities to expect $200 million in Chapter 90 funds, a level the administration says is affordable.

Material from a State House News Service report was used in this story.